Saturday, November 9, 2013

Should school be fun?

I will admit the title of the post is a loaded question. I'll get to my opinion a little later in the post.As a kid growing up I had times when I loved school and times I despised it. I'll never forget a particular moment in eighth grade. I was in line walking up from the middle school to the library. The hallway was wide and the floor was carpeted, you could only hear quiet murmurs as we walked up the hall. I turned the corner and started up the gentle incline. The windows grabbed my attention, I peered out. It was beautiful outside. The sun was shining and I just wanted to get out. I'll openly admit I felt as though I was in prison. I wondered, could I crawl out that window and escape? Would they notice if I was missing? It's not that I hated school, I was bored.

I asked a loaded question in the beginning. This is my opinion on the matter.I believe learning should be an enjoyable experience. I believe we are life long learners and learning should make us feel good.I believe an engaged student is a student that will learn.I believe engagement can create curiosity and joy.I believe students that enjoy school have a higher probability of success. (All you need to look at for justification is the drop-out rate)The research says that an engaged student learns twice as much. Yes, TWICE as much! Check out the articleStudy: Engaged Students Learn Twice As Much

As a teacher I spent a large chunk of my evenings and weekends planning lessons and trying to brainstorm ideas that would excite student learning. I still remember times when I heard students say they were bored. Outwardly I would say, "It's not my priority to entertain you." But inwardly I was disappointed by the comment. I was hired to teach and I took that as a huge responsibility, I knew that a bored student learned very little. Essentially I believe a bored student simply regurgitates information and doesn't truly learn. Recently I asked a student the question, "Should school be fun?" What do you think the student said?The answer was an emphatic YES! The older we get the more we understand that school is seven hours of each day, but it's more than that. It's the main social interaction for students during the day, it's their exercise for the day, it's possibly their best meal(s) and it is definitely the most they will learn for the day.Ultimately fun is relative; what is fun to one may not be to another. I do believe we should enjoy what we do. I once dreaded what I did. Years ago I went through a funk. I dreaded going in each day and it showed in my planning and delivery. I was fortunate because I had a friend simply tell me that I had changed. At first I was angry, but then I realized he was right. I slowly shifted my attitude and rededicated myself to my students. I wanted learning to be enjoyable for my students.

I believe this is an attainable goal. Students spend more time at school than they do at home, shouldn't their experience be a positive one?This week's big questions: Are you the teacher you dreamed of being? Are your students engaged in your lessons?

5 comments:

This was a great read, Ben. I loved the personal reflection, but I also liked the realization that fun is relative and meeting that need is incredibly difficult. The planning and preparation can only get you so far…the engagement of students often lies in the presentation and comfort level of the room…great points. I didn't have a great school experience until high school and often think of what we are doing for kids like me who wanted to be on a stage that didn't exist in a traditional classroom. The emphasis on student voice and recognition that it is so important is a great thing to share with others. So…yes, the question was loaded…but so are the following: Should we be kind to one another? Should learning be engaging? Are the Packers in real trouble without Aaron Rodgers? To answer the question is easy…to look deeper into the meaning is where the gold is…except for the Rodgers question…that's pretty cut and dry! Again…great post…love the connection.

Thanks for the feedback Joe. I feel compelled to start with Rodgers : )

I agree the Pack are in trouble, the saving grace may be Eddie Lacy...in years past the back-up QB has been better, but the running game worse. Now it's the exact opposite.

I appreciate your points on student voice & recognition. The time has come that the teacher is not the only provider of information. I look for a shift, I look for students to inquire, investigate and get involved in their own learning.